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Ear - blocked at high altitudes

The air pressure outside of your body changes as altitude changes. This creates a difference in pressure on the two sides of the eardrum. The result is a feeling of pressure and blockage in the ears.

Information

Yawning or swallowing usually opens the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the nose. These movements allow the pressure to equalize in the ears. Performing them can unclog blocked ears when you are going up or coming down from high altitudes. Chewing gum the entire time you are changing altitudes helps by causing you to swallow frequently. This may prevent you from getting blocked ears in the first place.

People who always have blocked ears when flying may consider taking a decongestant about an hour before the flight leaves.

If your ears are blocked, try breathing in, then gently breathing out while holding your nostrils and mouth closed. If you do this too forcefully, you can cause ear infections by forcing bacteria into your ear canals. A perforation (hole) in your eardrum can result if you blow too hard. See: Barotrauma

Ear anatomy - illustration

The ear consists of external, middle, and inner structures. The eardrum and the three tiny bones conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.

Ear anatomy

illustration

Medical findings based on ear anatomy - illustration

The external structures of the ear may aid in diagnosing some conditions by the presence or absence of normal landmarks and abnormal features including: earlobe creases, preauricular pits, and preauricular tags.

Medical findings based o...

illustration

External and internal ear - illustration

The ear is a complicated organ controlling hearing and balance. When sounds waves reach the ear, they are translated into nerve impulses. These impulses then travel to the brain where they are interpreted by the brain as sound.

External and internal ea...

illustration

Ear anatomy - illustration

The ear consists of external, middle, and inner structures. The eardrum and the three tiny bones conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.

Ear anatomy

illustration

Medical findings based on ear anatomy - illustration

The external structures of the ear may aid in diagnosing some conditions by the presence or absence of normal landmarks and abnormal features including: earlobe creases, preauricular pits, and preauricular tags.

Medical findings based o...

illustration

External and internal ear - illustration

The ear is a complicated organ controlling hearing and balance. When sounds waves reach the ear, they are translated into nerve impulses. These impulses then travel to the brain where they are interpreted by the brain as sound.